


Alphonso

by Redawilo



Series: Main Stuff [4]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-16 01:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11817912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redawilo/pseuds/Redawilo
Summary: Terro Island is a small place with but one town. However, that does not mean it isn't rich with places to explore as well as any number of dangers. Alphonso is an elf who has retired from the life of an adventurer, but a cheerful and excitable young rabbit named Blake comes into his life and flips his decision for retirement on its head.This is one of several original works of mine!Updates most Thursdays when not conflicting with Club Lily and Six Spirits.Loosely tied to Six Spirits.





	1. Alphonso & The Island

**Author's Note:**

> This entry has a bit of a story to it. In the same vein as Six Spirits, this is based on a game I made in RPG Maker. Only Alphonso was actually completed (only about half a dozen hours long, if I recall), and it was a personal challenge of mine. I gave myself two weeks and told myself to try some things I hadn’t, in order to better learn the program. It worked wonderfully, and I’m actually really proud of the result!
> 
> Alphonso has some ties to Six Spirits, although neither require the other to be enjoyed. So when I started writing Six Spirits, a part of me thought “But what about Alphonso?” but I sort of ignored it. But now I’ve decided to turn it into a mini-series of sorts! I don’t really have a schedule for this, but I figure it won’t take me too long to finish it. It’ll probably only take me a couple of months to complete it.

The ship that carried trade goods to and from Terro Island had arrived the previous day. It only came by once every month, so it was a fairly big deal for the residents of the tiny island. While the people of the island could certainly sustain themselves just fine, they still scrambled to purchase things they wanted or needed whenever the merchant ship arrived. Alphonso was not a huge fan of the days when the ship would arrive. He rather disliked the noise and commotion that happened when it came by. So much did he dislike it that he chose to not live within the only town on the island, but in a small forest to its east. There was a decently sized clearing within it where he had built his home. As far as he was concerned, he had everything he _needed_ in that little clearing. He had a nice well, grew his own herbs and vegetables throughout most of the year, and could go hunting with ease whenever he desired meat. If he wanted fish, there was a good spot just north of the forest where he could catch them fresh from the ocean.

Others would think his life boring, but Alphonso adored the peacefulness of it all. He felt he could never be swayed from enjoying the mundane routine that his life had fallen into. Not once did he regret coming to and choosing to stay on the island.

However, even he had to admit that his clearing and the island itself lacked a few things he desired from time to time. When such things became obvious to him, he would leave a list of items with the innkeeper of Root Town along with a down payment. She would purchase what he wanted from the merchant’s ship, and he would swing by the day after to pay off what he owed and to pick up his supplies.

Alphonso breathed sigh before climbing down the ladder to his basement. He kept most things in a corner of his cabin, but he had used up the last of his money paying the down payment and needed to tap into his emergency stores. His basement was small and contained a few boxes, crates, sacks, and chests with very special items that he wanted to hang onto for one reason or another. A small box sat atop them, and he fetched it down. He opened it carefully and fished out a few coins, mumbling to himself about needing to find a way to make some more money, and slipped them into his wallet. With the money he required, he climbed back up to the main floor and left his cabin.

While he was set to leave at any time, he still had one small chore to take care of before he left. He drew a bucket of water from his well in order to water his little herb garden and vegetables. As he did, he heard a soft chuckle nearby.

“Good afternoon, Master. You are leaving today, I take it?”

Alphonso glanced up from his plants to the scarecrow he had built to protect them. A smile graced his features.

“I am.” He replied. “Your new hat should have arrived, among other things.”

“Oh thank you!” the scarecrow said joyfully. “The summer will be reaching its peak soon. I was so hoping I wouldn’t have to suffer that harsh sunlight.”

“It’s no trouble. You watch over my crops, I take care of your needs. A fair trade, I would say.”

The scarecrow laughed again. “It is a rare thing for a person to be so kind to inanimate objects such as myself.”

“It’s a rare thing for a person to be able to hear the voices of objects such as yourself.” Alphonso replied, standing upright and brushing his hair behind his pointed ears, mindful not to catch the locks in his earrings. “There! That should be all that’s needed. Keep a close eye on things for me.”

“Of course. I will be as diligent as always, Master.”

Alphonso gave the scarecrow another smile before he made to leave his clearing. Near its edge he passed by an old, crudely made headstone embedded in the ground. At its base grew a small patch of wildflowers. Alphonso stopped and picked one, a blue one, and twirled it between his fingers. He always did like the island’s wildflowers; they were small and cute, but surprisingly hardy. He carefully tucked the flower into his wallet and continued on his way.

***

Root Town was a few hours away by foot, and it was a walk Alphonso easily made. He was familiar with nearly every resident, and it was not uncommon for them to greet him as he passed. Occasionally one would stop him to see how he was doing. He would always smile politely and tell them that he was well, and inquire in turn how they were. These simple pleasantries were things he found delightful. Alphonso considered himself a loner, but that did not mean he did not find the company of others to be unpleasant whatsoever. In fact, if he were not drawn to the wilderness by his very nature, he would have happily settled down in the town itself. Well, that and of course the commotion generated by the monthly merchant visits, of course.

“Hi Mr. Elf!” a boy around seven years old called out as Alphonso wandered down the only paved road in town.

Alphonso stopped in his tracks and grinned down at the boy. “Good afternoon, Jacob! Are you playing by yourself today?”

“Ashley’s mom said she still has chores to do, so I’m all by myself right now. Hey, you should come play with us some time! I want to be as good at hide-and-seek as you are some day!”

The elf laughed. “Of course. I’ll see if I can’t swing by to play soon. I’ve got a few things to take care of right now.”

“Alright!” the boy shouted.

“Have fun when Ashley becomes available.”

“Bye-bye!”

With a smile on his face, Alphonso continued on his way. Despite the island and the town’s small size, Root Town had a couple shops of interest on its main road. An old blacksmith that refused to retire had made his home on the island, and still made weapons and armor from time to time, but mostly he made and repaired tools used by the residents of the town. The town garden was maintained by about five different households, and collectively they would sell the excess of what they grew to others for a fair price. A few folks who were in the business of raising livestock such as goats, sheep, and chickens would sell their products. And of course there were a few people who were skilled at making clothing, or carving and building with wood. Really anything that one could ever need was available in some form or another.

Alphonso passed by all of these shops, but he paused when he noticed a new one near the town’s square. He figured it must have been built since the previous month, as it certainly was not there the last time he had come to pick up supplies from the innkeeper. He eyed its sign curiously, the blue kettle telling him nothing about what it was meant to be. From the sign nailed to the door, the shop was not yet ready to open for business. He made a mental note to check it out the next time he was in town.

He proceeded passed the well in the square and down the road a short ways more to the largest building in town: the inn. The door was already wide open and a handful of townsfolk were already gathered at the tables inside, getting a head start on the night’s socializing and drinking. Alphonso smiled and nodded to them as he stepped passed, approaching the counter at the back. A little bell sat on the counter, and he picked it up and gave it a quick ring. A voice from the back called that she would be out in just a moment.

Alphonso waited patiently. He turned around and looked about. Everyone in the room was a familiar face, but everyone was too focused on their own conversation to chat with him. His eyes trained over the small group and towards a couple of doors on one side of the building. They were rooms for rent, but Alphonso rarely saw anyone actually stay the night at the inn. For the most part, people came in for the food or drink. The rooms were left open when unoccupied, as a way to tell people if they were available. The elf was marginally surprised to find that one was closed.

A sound behind him told him that the innkeeper had come out of the back and was putting away a few bottles of alcohol beneath her counter. She was middle-aged and wore glasses, and Alphonso always thought she gave off a sort of motherly feel. She flashed a grin down at him once she was done with what she was doing and approached him.

“Well, well!” she said playfully. “If it isn’t the little wild boy. How are you today, Sweetie?”

“I’m doing well, how about yourself?” Alphonso asked with a smile.

“I’m just fine, thank you for asking. Now I take it you’re here for your supplies? The charge comes to 10 eix.”

Alphonso opened his wallet and retrieved two of the coins he had, as well as the flower. “Here you are. And the flower is just because. I thought it would look pretty on the counter.”

The woman took the payment and gift with delight. “Just a moment while I get a vase for this pretty little thing. And your supplies, of course.” She gently laid the flower on the counter and slipped the money into a lockbox beneath it. She stepped into the back room once more, but came back out only a minute or so later. She had a little white vase in one hand and a small box tucked under her other arm. She dropped the box on the counter so that Alphonso could inspect its contents while she filled the vase with water and slipped the flower into it.

“Everything looks to be in order.” The elf told her, picking up his supplies. “Excellent work, as always. And thank you.”

“Certainly, Sweetie. Anytime. And thank you for the flower. It’s very pretty, indeed. And the same color as your hair.”

Alphonso raised one of his free hand and tugged a few stands in front of his face so that he could compare the color. “Hm, I suppose you’re right. I hadn’t thought of that!” he laughed.

“Well I’m glad it is.” The woman replied. “I’ll think of you every time I look at it, for sure!”

The elf was about to thank her again and leave when her eyes lit up as she remembered something. “Oh yes! You left a key here the last time you came in. I’m pretty sure you did so by accident and it wasn’t one of…you know. I still have it. Shall I return it?”

Alphonso blinked in surprise. “Oh! Yes! I’ve been looking all over for that! Thank you!”

“It’s no trouble.” The woman replied, opening her lock box again and retrieving the item in question. She handed it over and Alphonso dropped it into his pocket. “Take care now.”

“You too, Sarah.”

***

The box was a little heavier than Alphonso had expected it to be, and by the time he was back at his clearing he could feel his arms getting just a bit tired. He stopped by his scarecrow to show him the new hat he had purchased for him, and the scarecrow delighted in the intricate, colorful roses that were sewn into it. Alphonso removed its old, boring straw hat and fitted the new one onto its head. Again the scarecrow thanked him, and the elf went back inside his home.

He got all of his new belongings put away, and hung the key on one of a handful of hooks beside the door where it belonged. He breathed a sigh and smiled, content with what he had accomplished that day. The sun was already beginning to set, and so he decided to start preparing dinner for himself. He had just gotten a pan set on the stove and was thinking about what vegetables to cook when he heard a knock at his door.

“Now who could that be…?” Alphonso muttered to himself before calling out, “Coming!”

He stepped over to the door and opened it cautiously. He knew the residents of the island were friendly, but he wasn’t stupid. There could very easily be a bad person of some description hiding somewhere; somebody who thought Alphonso would be easy to overwhelm and steal from, or worse.

“Oh thank goodness!” the person on the other side shouted with relief. “This isn’t just a house, but a home!”

Alphonso blinked, confused, and opened the door wider. His visitor was a young man with long black hair. He was dressed in bright green, the same color as his eyes. A pair of black rabbit ears stood upon his head, and he had a pink rose pinned behind one of them. Alphonso also noticed he had soft, dark fur covering his arms and face.

“Can I…help you?” the elf asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Did you know that there are bees out there!?” the young man shouted.

“Yes. Giant wasps. They’re very common on the island. Usually they don’t bother anyone, though. Why do you ask?”

“I got stung by one of them!” the rabbit said, panic as clear as day on his face. He turned a little so that Alphonso could see the wound on the back of his left shoulder. It wasn’t very big or deep, although it did leave his shirt ruined with both a hole and some blood.

Alphonso smiled at him, understanding his panic. “Relax. They’re not venomous. Come in. I’ll get that treated for you.”

“Oh what a relief.” The rabbit sighed, deflating immediately upon being told he wasn’t about to die and the offer of first aid. “Sorry for barging in.” he said as Alphonso held the door open for him and he stepped inside.

“Nonsense!” the elf waved him off. “You aren’t the first person to turn up on my doorstep injured by one of the native creatures.” He stated. “Take a seat at the table while I get some medicine and bandages. And remove your shirt, if you would.”

“Thank you.” The young man stated, doing as he was told. He winced when he raised his arm to pull his shirt over his head. “So um…what’s your name?” he asked.

“Isn’t it polite to give your own first?” Alphonso asked, picking through the pile of his belongings in the corner for what he required.

“Right! I’m Blake. Sorry about that.” The rabbit laughed, a little embarrassed at himself. “I’m still kind of flustered about what happened.”

“No problem. I understand.” The elf replied, heading back over to him. “I’m Alphonso. Hold still while I clean and dress this.” While getting to work, Alphonso noticed that the soft black fur covered most of Blake’s torso as well, and that he possessed a tiny little tail. The elf smirked, finding it cute how fuzzy Blake looked.

Blake sat rigid as a board while Alphonso wiped the puncture wound with a wet cloth. Blake hissed in pain, but remained as still as could be. The elf applied an ointment to it before pressing a wad of cotton on it. He asked that Blake hold the cotton in place while he wrapped it. The rabbit obeyed, moving his hand when needed so that it wouldn’t be in the way and Alphonso finished getting him all set.

“There you are. Just don’t do anything crazy and it ought to be better in a few days.” The elf told him.

“Thank you.” Blake said again, relaxing his posture. He picked up his shirt from the table and noticed the frying pan on the stove. With what time it was he was able to put two and two together and figured that Alphonso had been in the middle of starting his dinner. Blake decided to ask, “Hey uh, would you mind if I stayed here tonight? I came in on the ship yesterday and was planning to just camp out for a month. Last night was fine but today has kind of turned me off of the whole idea.” He rolled his shoulder gently for emphasis before pulling his shirt on. “I have some money. I can pay you!”

Alphonso grinned. “Certainly! As I said, you aren’t the first person to turn up on my doorstep like this. You’re welcome to stay, free of charge. I’ll even throw in dinner and breakfast for you.”

“Thank you!” the rabbit cried for what felt like the hundredth time.

“I hope you don’t mind stir-fried veggies. I don’t have any meat or fish on hand. I didn’t go hunting today.”

“I love vegetables!”

“Great. Should be ready in a few minutes. Make yourself comfortable.”

While he cooked, Alphonso thought to himself that he would have to get a bed set up for his guest. He had plenty of extra blankets and a few pillows. At the very least he would be able to make something vaguely comfortable on the floor for him. In addition to that he remembered the key he had gotten back that afternoon. It opened a large trunk down in his basement that held some items he hadn’t touched in quite a while. He glanced over his shoulder at Blake, who was playing idly with a blank, rolled up piece of paper on the table. The rabbit had no noticeable muscle on his body. The wasps and other creatures normally didn’t bother Alphonso, and if they did he could fight them off with his bare hands. If Blake intended to go to town tomorrow, Alphonso got the feeling it would be best if he escorted him. And that meant he probably ought to get out the items in the chest.

With his game plan for the following day laid out a bit better and the food ready, Alphonso set out their meal and the two ate. All it took was one bite for Blake’s eyes to light up and his ears to perk up. He declared loudly that it was delicious and ate vigorously as such. Alphonso thanked him, amused by how energetic he was.

After their meal Black insisted on washing the dishes for him, but Alphonso shot him down. They ended up compromising and Blake dried them instead. Finally Blake helped him push his old wooden bed all the way into the corner of the room where it sat and they laid out the spare blankets for the rabbit to sleep on.

It was still a bit early in the day, but all the excitement had drained Blake, and he was starting to feel it. Alphonso let him lie down to rest while he stayed up a short while longer, scribbling down the day’s events on one of the papers he kept in a stack on his table. It wasn’t a journal so much as it was a bunch of loose pages that he wrote on simply for the purpose of keeping his ability to write intact. Finally, close to an hour after Blake’s breathing had evened out into sleep, Alphonso decided to turn in as well.


	2. Alphonso & Escorting

When morning came Alphonso was the first to wake up. He wasn’t surprised to find that Blake was sound asleep on his makeshift bed. The young man had had a rough day, after all. As quietly as he could, Alphonso made himself presentable and set to work on making their breakfast. The smell of food being cooked roused Blake, and he peeled his eyes open. When he sat up and rubbed at his eyes, Alphonso cast him a quick look and asked how he slept and how his shoulder was feeling.

“Well enough…” Blake replied, mumbling from grogginess. He stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulder. “It’s a bit sore, but not too bad.”

“I’m relieved to hear that. After breakfast, I want to check it and change the bandages.”

“Okay…” the rabbit replied with a sleepy yawn. The rose he had worn in his hair was sitting beside his bed on the floor. He picked it up and carefully slipped it back into place.

The elf jerked his head towards a door off to one side of his home. “You can go wash up in there, if you’d like. I’ve already drawn some fresh water from the well for you. Breakfast should be ready when you’re done.”

Blake’s ears perked up at the prospect of getting a quick bath. “Really? Thanks!”

Just as Alphonso had said, by the time Blake returned to the main room their breakfast was ready and the elf was finishing up plating both of their shares. The rabbit thanked him and the two sat down to eat. After getting a good few bites of the fresh pancakes in, Alphonso decided to speak up.

“There’s only one town on this island, Root Town. I’ve a few chores to take care of after we eat, but I’d be happy to escort you there when I’m finished. After all, we don’t want you to get hurt again.”

Blake nodded and thanked him again. “That’d be great.”

As soon as their plates were cleaned, the elf had Blake remove his shirt again and he carefully undid the bandaging. The wound from the giant wasp appeared to be healing nicely, so all Alphonso did was give it another quick cleaning, applied more ointment, and redressed it. Afterward Blake insisted on doing the dishes so Alphonso could take care of his other chores. The elf let him and stepped out into the sun.

When Blake set the dishes aside to dry, he made his way outside to see what the elf was up to. His ears twitched as he caught Alphonso’s voice. He looked about and found the man watering his garden and speaking as if he was holding a conversation with somebody, complete with pauses as if he was letting another person speak.

“I said I would take him into town, so I leave the clearing in your capable hands again. … Of course! It’s not a matter of if I trust him, it’s a matter of doing the right thing. … No, I don’t believe so. He’s pretty scrawny if you ask me. … Hey! I’m not _that_ out of shape! Though I will admit I’m certainly not at my peak anymore.”

“Who are you talking to?” Blake asked, approaching him but stopping before treading on any part of the garden.

Alphonso looked up, clearly surprised that Blake was there. _This guy’s awfully quiet…_ he thought.

He indicated the scarecrow in the middle of his garden. “My scarecrow here.” He replied. “I can hear the voices of certain inanimate objects. Jeffery is one of them.”

“Jeffery huh?” Blake asked, looking it over. Alphonso was fully prepared for Blake to mock or ridicule him for talking to a scarecrow, most people did the first time they heard about Alphonso’s ability to communicate with them. He was surprised when the rabbit grinned and spoke in a friendly manner. “Well, I don’t understand what’s going on, but that doesn’t mean I cannot be polite. So hello there, Jeffery! The name’s Blake. It’s nice to meet you!”

“Oh, why, isn’t he delightful? Believing you so easily… I can see why you want to help him, Alphonso. Tell him I said ‘hello’!” the scarecrow said joyously.

The elf laughed. “Jeffery says hello.”

Blake nodded. “I could tell he was talking. You were looking right at him.”

All three were quiet as Alphonso finished up his gardening. When he was done, he informed Blake that he was nearly ready to go and headed back to his cabin. Blake gave the scarecrow a quick wave before tagging along at the elf’s heels. Once inside, Alphonso grabbed the key he had received from Sarah the day before and told Blake to wait a moment. He then went back into his small basement.

He dug through his belongings until he found a large trunk that had been buried with time. He unlocked it and took a quick survey of what was inside. Satisfied, he shut it and hauled it over to the ladder. He called up to Blake, who appeared at the entrance a moment later. With his help, he got the trunk up to the main room and he dragged it over to the table. Blake watched in awe as he opened it again and began to unload its contents onto the large table.

A broadsword, a leather chest piece, a couple of daggers, a black cloak, and an old wand. These were the things Alphonso emptied from the trunk. Without a word, he donned the leather armor and fitted the sword onto his waist. Blake watched him curiously.

“Are you an adventurer or something?” he asked, his eyes shining as he took in the other objects again.

Alphonso smiled. “I was, a few years ago. But I’ve retired from that. I’m just a regular person now, for the most part. My time spent exploring and fighting for my life are over, but I still use those skills to go hunting.”

The young man blinked at him curiously, a question obviously burning in his mind. He didn’t say anything and Alphonso didn’t ask him about any of it. The elf left his other equipment on the table and indicated that they were going to be leaving now. They left the house, Alphonso taking a moment to lock his door, and they made to leave the clearing. Blake’s eyes caught the grave on the outskirts, but he chose to say nothing about it.

Beyond the forest, Alphonso was shocked to find the usually complacent giant wasps and slime monsters were indeed quite hostile towards them. Blake watched with glee as Alphonso cut down any creature that came at them with intentions of harm with his sword. He remarked that the elf looked just like a trained swordsman, but Alphonso only shook his head and stated that he was sloppy from not having practiced in a long while.

To Alphonso’s delight, despite Blake having no muscle to speak of or any combat prowess whatsoever, the young rabbit was not afraid to throw a few punches or to kick something if it managed to slip passed the elf and came for him. His attacks didn’t do a whole lot of damage, but they did stun the creatures just long enough for Alphonso to turn and finish them off.

Due to the onslaught of feral creatures, their arrival in Root Town was much later than Alphonso had hoped. The elf assured Blake that they could get something to eat at the inn he was taking him to. Blake nodded to indicate he had heard, but it was obvious the rabbit was not giving him his full attention. The young man was looking around everywhere, a giddy smile on his face. Like a kid in a candy store, he looked like he wanted to run about and stare at or put his hands on everything. Alphonso led him along slowly, giving him a chance to look and occasionally telling him what different shops were when Blake asked.

Blake was momentarily amazed when several people they passed greeted Alphonso by name. He quickly decided that in such a small town, everyone knowing the local hermit wouldn’t be all that unusual. When a man passed them with an “Afternoon, elf!”, Blake could practically feel the malice in Alphonso’s biting response.

“Buzz off, human.”

The man of course stopped and turned a frown back down at Alphonso. The elf only glowered up at him, not wavering at all.

“Hey, c’mon, what’s with that rude response?” the man asked, clearly upset.

“Perhaps next time you ought to use my name instead. I am well aware that you know it. You and your wife have spoken to and referred to me by name many times before.”

The man blinked, realizing what Alphonso was getting at. “Oh… Oh right, sorry. Yeah. Good afternoon, Alphonso.” He stated, smiling apologetically.

“That is better. Good afternoon to you, too, Jason.”

After the three had continued on their own ways, Blake bounced up beside Alphonso and remarked that he’s never seen somebody react the way Alphonso had.

“Back home, there’s so many people of all different races. It’s normal for us to say things like that guy did.” Blake stated.

“Oh believe me, in a large city, or anywhere but this town for that matter, I am completely fine with being referred to by my race. But the folks of this town know my name and I expect them to use it. It is common courtesy. I will not allow humans to reduce me to my race when they know better. What Jason did was rude, and I told him as such. That is all that was.”

Blake hummed at this and decided to drop it. He didn’t understand it, but like with the scarecrow he knew that he didn’t need to understand something to know how to be polite. So instead he made a mental note to always use Alphonso’s name when speaking to him.

The pair arrived at the inn shortly thereafter, and Alphonso motioned for Blake to go on in ahead of him.


	3. Alphonso & Negotiating

Sarah called out in greeting as soon as Blake entered the inn. Upon seeing Alphonso following behind him, she raised an eyebrow curiously and leaned forward onto the counter. Alphonso guided the rabbit over to her and began the introductions.

“Good morning, Sarah.” He said. “I’ve got a small favor to ask of you.”

“I suppose this has something to do with the handsome young rabbit with you?” she asked with a chuckle.

Blake blushed.

“It does. This is Blake. Could you give him a discount on a room for me?” Alphonso asked, getting straight to the point. “He turned up in my clearing last night having been stung by a giant wasp. He has nowhere to stay until the next ship arrives.”

Sarah turned her gaze to Blake, who was not yet over the compliment she had given him. “My, aren’t you a reckless young man? To come all the way here on your lonesome… Well, I do have an open room, but I’m afraid that renting it for a whole month is going to be quite expensive.”

“I can pay! Just name your price.” Blake insisted.

The innkeeper let out a low whistle. “You a rich boy? No matter. Typically I charge 3 eix per night, but I suppose since you are an acquaintance of Alphonso’s I can give you a discount. From 90 for the month down to 70. Does that sound reasonable? I’ll even throw in three meals a day, although that’s normally included in the fee anyway.”

“That’s…a lot cheaper than I was expecting, even without the discount. Thank you!” Blake stated, brightening up considerably.

Sarah smirked. “You really are a rich boy.” She stood upright. “May I ask where you came from and what you’re doing here on this island?”

Blake fidgeted uncomfortably. “I… I’d rather not say. But I was hoping to, I dunno, do some adventuring or something out here. I’d heard this island has a lot of great places to explore and I wanted to see them. But as it turns out I’m kind of a wimp. A single giant wasp sting had me panicking…”

“Now hold on a minute.” Alphonso interjected. “You didn’t know they weren’t venomous. Anyone would panic if they thought they were moments away from death! Just this morning while we were walking here you showed plenty of bravery. You were fighting off anything that attacked you just fine, although I will admit you lack experience.”

Blake shook his head. “That’s only because you were protecting me with your sword! I figured…if you were going to be going so far out of your way to help me, the least I could do was lessen the burden I was. Even if just a tiny bit.”

“But imagine the sort of thing you could do with a weapon! I think you’d be a great explorer, if you were better equipped and had some practice.”

Again the rabbit blushed. “I mean, maybe. But I’m not exactly acquainted with a sword…or any weapon for that matter. I can’t cast any spells either. So I mean, I’d probably die if I were on my own!”

Alphonso lapsed into thought. He brought a hand to his chin and tapped it. With a hum he turned back to Sarah who had been watching them curiously. A thought had occurred to the elf, but there was one little problem with it…

“Sarah, how much would you charge me for the Wooden Key? It is the cheapest, yes?”

Sarah appeared to be momentarily startled. She blinked once as what Alphonso had asked registered with her. Blake looked between the two of them in confusion.

“My, my! I never thought I’d see the day when you would actually ask for one of the keys back…” she smiled fondly at the elf. “I suppose even you cannot stay out of trouble forever. Exploring is in your blood. Very well!” she announced happily. “The Wooden Key will cost you 150 eix!”

Alphonso grimaced. He knew it would be expensive, but he wasn’t expecting it to be worth more than a month’s stay at the inn even without the discount. Suddenly Blake slapped a hand down on the counter, startling both people who had been speaking with him. He had placed three coins on the counter and gazed between the two with a look of determination.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but it sounds like you want to let me go exploring, Alphonso.” He stated. “So the very least I could do is pay whatever fee this is. 150 is basically all I have, though…”

The elf beamed brightly, thoroughly impressed with the rabbit’s ability to pick up on the conversation and his determination to go through with exploring, despite his stated cowardice earlier.

“Alright, let me explain. Just as you said, Terro Island has many places that are worth exploring. However, each one is very dangerous, more so than the wasps and slimes that inhabit the fields outside of town and my clearing. Years ago I visited each one of them, but soon after I retired there were others who came to this island looking to go through those areas as well. They were fools and they ended up dead. I took it upon myself to seal each of these dangerous locations with magic and gave form to each barrier’s dispel charm in the form of a key. I then gave all of those keys to Sarah here for safe keeping along with the instruction that each one only be given out to a person or people if they could pay a hefty fee. The idea behind it was that either the person or people would have the experience needed to survive the area or would be able to hire somebody who could escort them.”

“I see… Then consider yourself hired, Alphonso!” Blake stated, grinning.

“Oh really? And how much are you paying me?”

Blake paused. “Er…”

Alphonso laughed. “Relax. I was planning to take you into the Dark Forest anyway. If you’re willing to pay for the key, then that’s more than enough for me. In fact, I’ll even let you stay at my cabin and throw in some self-defense lessons. What do you say?”

“Well that’s good to hear, because I wouldn’t have been able to pay the extra 70 eix for the month anyway.”

Beside us Sarah giggled. She picked up the three coins and cast the pair a smile. “So you boys are in agreement then? Blake is paying for the Wooden Key, and Alphonso is taking responsibility for Blake.”

“That about sums it up.” Alphonso told her.

“Then let me step into the back to fetch you the key.”

“Oh! What about some lunch?” Blake asked, having just remembered. He looked down at Alphonso. “You said we could get something to eat here too, right?”

“Right, right. Sarah, how much for your special today?”

She chuckled again. “For the two of you today? It’s on the house. You boys’ll need your strength if you’re going to be wandering into dangerous territory.” She turned and began to head for the door behind the counter.

“I insist!” Alphonso shouted after her, but Sarah merely waved him off.

“I mean, I won’t turn down a free meal.” Blake laughed. There was a moment’s pause and he looked at the elf with a sincere smile on his face. “Thank you, by the way. Even if we don’t get too far into this ‘Dark Forest’, thank you for giving me a chance.”

Alphonso shrugged. “What can I say? I can’t just turn a blind eye when I could instead be helping somebody as determined as you are.”

Blake laughed again.


	4. Alphonso & Making Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alphonso and Blake return to the clearing and the elf begins preparing for their trip to the Dark Forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this update is almost a day late, and for that I apologize. The week's flown by and update date kinda snuck up on me...

“I was thinking you could use the daggers and wand I have at home.” Alphonso stated over their meal.

Blake’s eyes widened at the prospect. He shoved a spoonful of rice into his mouth and thought over how to respond while he chewed. “Haven’t I mentioned that I have no idea how to fight? On top of that, I can’t use magic.”

“And I have said that with some proper instruction you would make an excellent fighter. I meant that. I promise you I have a good eye for these things. You’ll do just fine with some basic training and real experience. That’s how I learned.”

Blake raised an eyebrow. “Y’know, I’ve been meaning to ask… You’ve said you’re retired, yeah? Just how much do you still remember?”

“I remember plenty. The question should not be about my memory, but about my physical limitations now. It’s been a long time, I don’t think I am able to do many of the things I did before.” The elf shrugged a shoulder. “I’m still young, though. I don’t think I’ll have any trouble getting back into shape. It’ll be quite the experience for us both.”

“What about magic? Are you not very strong with that either?”

Alphonso shook his head. “I haven’t used magic since sealing the dangerous regions of this island. I’m sure that will all come back to me in time, too. Magic is something you never truly forget, but it is very similar to a muscle; you have to exercise it or it’ll dwindle.”

“Huh… Well then why don’t you take the wand and I’ll deal with using the daggers?”

“Because I detest using wands.”

Blake blinked. That…was not the sort of answer he had been expecting, especially because the elf clearly owned one. He shoved another spoonful of food into his mouth, a little concerned about what he should say next. Fortunately for the rabbit, Alphonso breathed a sigh and chose to elaborate on his own.

“Objects like wands, rods, staves, and tomes are of no interest to me. In theory the first three are used to help channel magic and perhaps even amplify spells. Tomes are practically magical cheat sheets; meant for folks who can’t remember incantations and other things useful for various spells. This is not me bragging, but I have broken a number of wands because my magic has been too powerful, and I can still remember every incantation I have ever learned. Rods and staves can handle my spells most of the time, but they are bulky and unnecessary to my style of combat. So I much prefer to go without them.”

“Then why do you own one?”

“Sentimental value.” The way Blake cocked his head to one side spoke volumes about how much he didn’t understand. Alphonso breathed another sigh. “That wand is something I would have thrown out or sold years ago, but it reminds me of certain things. So I haven’t. That’s all I’m willing to say about it.”

Blake chose to drop the subject after that. He was of course curious about the “certain things”, but he also knew far better than to push something that a person was clearly not willing to do or talk about. The two finished up their meal soon after and they thanked Sarah again, Alphonso even praising her cooking. The elf then led the rabbit back through town. The whole walk back to the elf’s clearing was filled with awkward silence between fighting off giant wasps and slimes. Blake felt it was just a little bit maddening.

By the time they arrived, the sun was beginning to set. Alphonso said hello to Jeffery again, to which Blake gave his own greeting. Once inside, the elf picked up one of the daggers and handed it over to the rabbit. While Alphonso removed the leather armor he wore and set his sword down on the able, Blake unsheathed the weapon and stared nervously at the obviously sharp blade.

“The way you naturally move in a fight is very fast and you never stand still.” Alphonso commented when his attention returned to Blake. He carefully took the rabbit’s hand and readjusted the way he held it a little. “It is for this reason that I’m not considering teaching you to use a sword.”

“What about magic? If you’re going to let me use a wand, surely you’re thinking of showing me how to use it.”

Alphonso nodded. “Magic is a far more personal thing, in my opinion. I will show you how to use it in time, but for now that is not as important as getting you using a weapon.”

The remainder of their afternoon was spent with Alphonso painstakingly showing the rabbit how to stab and slash with the dagger over and over again. He was sloppy, but that was expected. Once the young man began to demonstrate that he wasn’t about to hack himself apart by accident, Alphonso passed him the other dagger. An hour and a half after they began, the elf left him to continue practicing on his own while he went about cooking dinner for them.

*****

Once more Blake washed the dishes for them after breakfast while Alphonso tended his garden. After their basic chores were done, they donned their gear. The elf showed Blake how to attach the daggers to his belt, and even helped him get the wand tucked away as well. He also handed the rabbit the cloak, which Blake turned over and examined curiously while Alphonso got himself squared away.

“That cloak has been enchanted.” The elf explained as he went to gather up some supplies from a corner of his room. Blake followed him slowly, finally putting the cloak on. “It has a low level spell protection enchantment, as well as a bit of shock absorption. It will protect you better than just your clothing.”

“Did you make this?” Blake asked. “Enchant it, I mean.”

“No.”

The flat, dismissive tone Alphonso used was more than enough to prevent Blake from asking further questions. Instead the young man took the satchel the elf had just finished packing up and slung it around his body. Alphonso gathered a few more things which he stuffed into a sack. The elf tossed it over his shoulder, holding onto the ends of the drawstring cords. The pair left the house and once more Alphonso locked the door behind them. He approached Jeffery so that he could inform both the scarecrow and the rabbit of his plans at the same time.

“We’re going to be gone for a few days. I don’t think this will take us more than a week at most.” Alphonso stated. “Jeffery, I trust you to look after things. The garden will need a lot of tending to when we get back, I know. Just keep any pests out.”

“Of course, Master. Take care of yourself. And of Blake, too.” Jeffery replied.

“A week, huh?” Blake muttered. He beamed up at the scarecrow. “Are you going to be lonely?”

Jeffery chuckled. “A good boy indeed. Tell him that I will be just fine with my own thoughts.”

Alphonso nodded. “He’ll be fine. He enjoys having time to sit and think on his own.”

The two gave quick good-byes to the scarecrow and then proceeded to make their way out of the forest together.


End file.
